Is envy categorical or dimensional? An empirical investigation using taxometric analysis.

Abstract

Researchers frequently disagree about the latent structure of emotions. Taxometric analysis--a method for determining whether the latent structure of a construct is best defined as categorical or purely dimensional--can be a useful tool for resolving these debates. The present study used taxometric analysis to investigate the latent structure of envy. Scholars disagree about whether envy is necessarily malicious or whether it can also be benign. Van de Ven, Zeelenberg, and Pieters (2009) claim that benign envy exists, and that it is distinct from malicious envy. Much of their evidence for this claim relies on latent class analysis, which can be biased toward creating categories with data that actually vary dimensionally (Cleland, Rothschild, & Haslam, 2000; Uebersax, 1999). Therefore, taxometric analysis provides a more conservative test for an underlying categorical structure. A daily diary procedure was used to measure participants' day-to-day experiences of envy. The results support van de Ven et al.'s claim that benign envy exists, and that is distinct from malicious envy.

The Evil Queen's Dilemma: Linking Narcissistic Admiration and Rivalry to Benign and Malicious Envy

“…In fact, recent evidence supports the view that at the state and the trait level, envy occurs in two qualitatively different forms that map onto the distinct pathways to social status. Both forms are characterized by high frustration but involve distinct cognitions and experiences, as well as diverging motivational and behavioural inclinations (Crusius & Lange, ; Falcon, ; Lange & Crusius, , ; Van de Ven et al, ; Van de Ven, Zeelenberg, & Pieters, , ; for a unidimensional conceptualization of envy, refer to Rentzsch & Gross, ).…”

The Evil Queen’s dilemma: Linking narcissistic admiration and rivalry to benign and malicious envy

“…In fact, recent evidence supports the view that at the state and the trait level, envy occurs in two qualitatively different forms that map onto the distinct pathways to social status. Both forms are characterized by high frustration but involve distinct cognitions and experiences, as well as diverging motivational and behavioural inclinations (Crusius & Lange, 2014;Falcon, 2015;Lange & Crusius, 2015a, 2015bVan de Ven et al, 2009;Van de Ven, Zeelenberg, & Pieters, 2012; for a unidimensional conceptualization of envy, refer to Rentzsch & Gross, 2015).…”

Envy and Its Consequences: Why It Is Useful to Distinguish between Benign and Malicious Envy

“…The results suggested that distinguishing two categories fitted the data best, and these mapped nicely onto benign and malicious envy. This study was also replicated using a taxometric analysis (Falcon, ). To summarize, also in languages where only one word exists for envy participants differentiate benign from maliciously envious experiences.…”